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Volume 37, Number 35 Weber State College March 1, 1977 J .Eleeftion: by Mary Woodhead After a hearing that lasted less than an hour, the ASWSC Supreme Court handed down a decision limitin; the power of administrative officials in dealing wit! student allairs. The hearing was to determine whether or not Monte Shupe, director of student housing, had the authority to overturn a decision made by the dormitory judicial committee. The committee had ruled that recent Resident Hall Council (RHC) elections were conducted illegally and should be reheld. Evelyn Waldrop, who had been elected RHC president in the illegal elections, had determined that the judiciary had overstepped its bounds and, with the support of Shupe, had overturned the judicial ruling. Both the original suit and the appeal were filed by Beth Sterner, Waldrop's opponent in the dormitory election. In the ASWSC suit, Sterner was represented by The courts declared Shupe and Waldrop's actions illegal and ordered the elections to be held again. Randy Skanchy of the Ombudsman office. In the open hearing, the court did not address itself to the question of Shupe's or Waldrop's authority. Chief Justice Dick Creager asked Shupe, Waldrop and former RHC President Carrie Stayner whether they thought elections needed to be reheld. All three stated that the original elections should be left standing. The Ombudsman office was not allowed to ask questions or present evidence regarding the illegal o Try sigsdhn r - 1 I X . ;, " . - o7--.' - C 1 i " ji.i..i"I'Ii.ii I-" . ' in't 'f inTi a d'MW'tori-iii'-m mtttM'Wrt 7yW'rmrmmmK mm' utif ' i ii in n 1 1 tt-tttt-i r . - . . . M EXPLANATIONS: ASWSC Supreme Court Justice Dick Creager explains to RHC President Evelyn Waldrop why her election was illegal. Photos by Suzttte Blue FOR THE STUDENTS: Complainant Beth Sterner (second from left) waits with members of the Ombudsman office Randy Skanchy, Renee Hellewell, and Howard Olsen (left to right) for the court's decision. question of authority. Because this question was not brought out in open court, Shupe and Waldrop were not able to defend their positions on that question. After a half hour recess, the court reconvened and declared Shupe and Waldrop's actions illegal and ordered the elections reheld. In overturning Shupe and Waldrop's actions, the court cited the RHC constitution which gives the judiciary the function of "allowing those students residing in campus residence halls to have the judicial power to handle problems that relate to the residence hall program . ' ' The RHC constitution does not anywhere delegate that authority to either the The court cited the RHC constitution which allows dorm residents to have judicial power to handle problems that relate to the residence halls. RHC president or the director of housing. The court's decision was based on a constitution which has not been in effect for three and a half years, however after realizing their error, the justices corrected the constitutional references in their final decision. Associate Justice Carta Burgess noted that the classes relevant to this case had the same intent in both constitutions and that the court planned to take no action on the error. After the hearing, Ombudsman chairman Howard Olsen described the court's decision as significant in its potential effects on the student political system. He felt that the decision would have important implications with regard to the authority of other staff members who might interfere with student decisions. After the hearing Waldrop said that she felt the court's actions were a "farce" and that both the judiciary and ASWSC court had been acting "only for publicity."

Public Domain. Courtesy of University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University.

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Volume 37, Number 35 Weber State College March 1, 1977 J .Eleeftion: by Mary Woodhead After a hearing that lasted less than an hour, the ASWSC Supreme Court handed down a decision limitin; the power of administrative officials in dealing wit! student allairs. The hearing was to determine whether or not Monte Shupe, director of student housing, had the authority to overturn a decision made by the dormitory judicial committee. The committee had ruled that recent Resident Hall Council (RHC) elections were conducted illegally and should be reheld. Evelyn Waldrop, who had been elected RHC president in the illegal elections, had determined that the judiciary had overstepped its bounds and, with the support of Shupe, had overturned the judicial ruling. Both the original suit and the appeal were filed by Beth Sterner, Waldrop's opponent in the dormitory election. In the ASWSC suit, Sterner was represented by The courts declared Shupe and Waldrop's actions illegal and ordered the elections to be held again. Randy Skanchy of the Ombudsman office. In the open hearing, the court did not address itself to the question of Shupe's or Waldrop's authority. Chief Justice Dick Creager asked Shupe, Waldrop and former RHC President Carrie Stayner whether they thought elections needed to be reheld. All three stated that the original elections should be left standing. The Ombudsman office was not allowed to ask questions or present evidence regarding the illegal o Try sigsdhn r - 1 I X . ;, " . - o7--.' - C 1 i " ji.i..i"I'Ii.ii I-" . ' in't 'f inTi a d'MW'tori-iii'-m mtttM'Wrt 7yW'rmrmmmK mm' utif ' i ii in n 1 1 tt-tttt-i r . - . . . M EXPLANATIONS: ASWSC Supreme Court Justice Dick Creager explains to RHC President Evelyn Waldrop why her election was illegal. Photos by Suzttte Blue FOR THE STUDENTS: Complainant Beth Sterner (second from left) waits with members of the Ombudsman office Randy Skanchy, Renee Hellewell, and Howard Olsen (left to right) for the court's decision. question of authority. Because this question was not brought out in open court, Shupe and Waldrop were not able to defend their positions on that question. After a half hour recess, the court reconvened and declared Shupe and Waldrop's actions illegal and ordered the elections reheld. In overturning Shupe and Waldrop's actions, the court cited the RHC constitution which gives the judiciary the function of "allowing those students residing in campus residence halls to have the judicial power to handle problems that relate to the residence hall program . ' ' The RHC constitution does not anywhere delegate that authority to either the The court cited the RHC constitution which allows dorm residents to have judicial power to handle problems that relate to the residence halls. RHC president or the director of housing. The court's decision was based on a constitution which has not been in effect for three and a half years, however after realizing their error, the justices corrected the constitutional references in their final decision. Associate Justice Carta Burgess noted that the classes relevant to this case had the same intent in both constitutions and that the court planned to take no action on the error. After the hearing, Ombudsman chairman Howard Olsen described the court's decision as significant in its potential effects on the student political system. He felt that the decision would have important implications with regard to the authority of other staff members who might interfere with student decisions. After the hearing Waldrop said that she felt the court's actions were a "farce" and that both the judiciary and ASWSC court had been acting "only for publicity."